NETWORK APPLICATION: A Network in Surface Science Applications in Laboratory Astrophysics

一个新的，以英国为基础的网络被提议，它将汇集来自一系列学科的科学家，共同感兴趣的是了解气态星际介质与尘埃颗粒表面的相互作用。直到最近，天文学家才意识到这种气体-颗粒相互作用在星际介质化学演化中的重要性。表面科学家，无论是实验还是理论，现在都在研究这种相互作用的许多方面;氢和其他分子从原子中形成，覆盖在谷物上的冰冷地幔的行为，以及这些地幔如何通过光，电子和离子加工产生复杂的前生物分子。该网络的作用是鼓励来自不同社区的科学家进行交流，以确保对这些复杂的相互作用有一个适当和全面的了解。为了实现这一目标，将利用研究会议和培训讲习班相结合的方式，使成员了解它必须处理的一系列问题，并使成员对背景情况有必要的了解。研究会议将每年举行一次，而我们设想只有在网络存在的最初阶段，才有必要举办讲习班，以打破社区之间相互理解的障碍。网络的初始成员将在组成网络的社区之间保持密切平衡。随着网络的发展，将增加来自两个社区的新成员，以确保持续的平衡。

A new, UK-based network is proposed, which will bring together scientists from a range of disciplines with a common interest in understanding the interaction of the gaseous interstellar medium with the surfaces of dust grains. Only relatively recently have astronomers realised the importance of this gas-grain interaction in the chemical evolution of the interstellar medium. Surface scientists, both experimental and theoretical, are now investigating many aspects of this interaction; the formation of hydrogen and other molecules from atoms, the behaviour of the icy mantles that coat the grains and how these mantles are processed to yield complex, pre-biotic molecules by light, electrons and ions. It will be the role of the network to encourage communication between scientists from different communities to ensure that a proper and complete understanding of these complex interactions is forthcoming. To achieve this aim a combination of research meetings and training workshops will be used to enlighten the membership to the range of issues it must address and to give the membership the necessary background understanding. The research meetings will be held annually, while we envisage workshops as important only in the initial stages of the network existence to break down the barriers to understanding between the communities. The initial membership of the network will be closely balanced between communities comprising the network. As the network develops, new members from both communities will be added to ensure a continued balance.